Apparatus and method for providing digital broadcasting service based on multiple broadcasting sites and frequency bands

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for transmitting data in a digital broadcasting system is disclosed. The apparatus includes: a source encoding unit for encoding data to be transmitted and generating source-coded data; a capacity managing unit for dividing the source-coded data into divided data for a plurality of channels in case that an available data capacity for transmitting the source-coded data does not exist in one channel but sum of available data capacities of the multiple channels can accommodate the source-coded data, and adding header information to the divided data; a channel encoding unit for encoding the divided data according to channel environment and generating channel-coded data; and a transmitting unit for multiplexing, modulating and transmitting the channel-coded data through multiple frequency bands and multiple broadcasting sites.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing adigital broadcasting service based on multiple frequency bands; and,more particularly, to an apparatus and method for transmitting datathrough a plurality of frequency bands transmitted from the plurality ofbroadcasting sites, in which the data is divided, header information isadded into the divided data so as to reconstruct the data in a receivingapparatus when an available channel for transmitting the data does notexist but sum of the remnants of all or several channels can accommodatethe necessary capacity, and an apparatus and method for receiving thedata through multiple frequency bands.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, in conventional digital television broadcasting, digitalsatellite broadcasting and digital audio broadcasting, certain frequencybands are allocated to digital broadcasting systems according todomestic or international service standards. These standards allowbroadcasting services, e.g., audio, video or data broadcasting, usingone of the frequency bands. In this case, a data transfer capacity ofthe digital broadcasting service is limited to the maximum data transfercapacity of the allocated frequency band.

As new data application services require larger data capacity in thefuture, technical and financial problems arise so as to meet therequired demand of the increased data transfer capacity.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide atransmitting apparatus and method for dividing data in order to transmitdata through a plurality of channels and transmitting data having headerinformation so as to reconstruct the data in a receiving apparatus.

It is another object of the present invention to provide the receivingapparatus and method for receiving and combining the data.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is providedan apparatus for transmitting data in a digital broadcasting system,including: a source encoding unit for encoding data to be transmittedand generating source-coded data; a capacity managing unit for dividingthe source-coded data into divided data for a plurality of channels incase that an available data capacity for transmitting the source-codeddata does not exist in one channel but sum of available data capacitiesof multiple channels can accommodate the source-coded data and addingheader information to the divided data; a channel encoding unit forencoding the divided data according to channel environment andgenerating channel-coded data; and a transmitting unit for multiplexing,modulating and transmitting the channel-coded data through multiplefrequency bands and multiple broadcasting sites.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an apparatus for receiving data in a digital broadcastingsystem, including: a tuning unit for receiving transmitted data throughmultiple frequency bands and multiple broadcasting sites; a demodulatingunit for demodulating the received data and generating demodulated data;a de-multiplexing unit for de-multiplexing the demodulated data andgenerating de-multiplexed data; a decoding unit for decoding thede-multiplexed data and generating decoded data; and a data combiningunit for combining the decoded data.

In accordance with further another aspect of the present invention,there is provided a method for transmitting data in a digitalbroadcasting system, including the steps of: (a) encoding image data andaudio data to be transmitted and generating source-coded data; (b) at acapacity managing means, dividing the source-coded data into divideddata for a plurality of channels in case that an available data capacityfor transmitting the source-coded data does not exist in one channel butsum of available data capacities of multiple channels can accommodatethe source-coded data and adding header information to the divided data;(c) channel encoding the divided data according to channel environmentand generating channel-coded data; and (d) multiplexing, modulating andtransmitting the channel-coded data through multiple frequency bands andmultiple broadcasting sites.

In accordance with still further another aspect of the presentinvention, there is provided a method for receiving data in a digitalbroadcasting system, including the steps of: (a) receiving transmitteddata through multiple frequency bands and multiple broadcasting sites;(b) demodulating the received data for each frequency band andgenerating demodulated data; (c) de-multiplexing the demodulated datafor each frequency bands and generating de-multiplexed data; (d)decoding the de-multiplexed data for each frequency bands and generatingdecoded data; and (e) at combining means, combining the decoded data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and features of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description of the preferredembodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a transmitting apparatus for a digitalbroadcasting service using multiple frequency bands in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a transmitting method for a digitalbroadcasting service using multiple frequency bands in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing packets used in a digital broadcastingservice in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a receiving apparatus for a digitalbroadcasting service in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a receiving apparatus for a digitalbroadcasting service in accordance with another embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a digital broadcasting system usingmultiple frequency bands in accordance with the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Other objects and aspects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of the embodiments with reference to theaccompanying drawings, which is set forth hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a transmitting apparatus for a digitalbroadcasting service using multiple frequency bands in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the transmitting apparatus for a digitalbroadcasting service using multiple frequency bands includes a sourceencoding unit 101, a capacity managing unit 102, a channel encoding unit103 and a transmitting unit 104.

The source encoding unit 101 has a plurality of encoders each of whichhas pairs of an image encoder and an audio encoder and encodes the datato be transmitted to generate source-coded data. The capacity managingunit 102 receives the source-coded data from the source encoding unit101, divides the source-coded data into a plurality of divided data forseveral channels and adds header information so as to reconstruct thedata when an available channel for the data is not found.

The channel encoding unit 103 has channel encoders and the transmittingunit 104 has multiplexers, modulators and transmitters. The channelencoding unit 103 encodes the divided data according to a channelenvironment to generate channel-coded data. The transmitting unit 104multiplexes, modulates and transmits the channel-coded data.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a transmitting method for a digitalbroadcasting service using multiple frequency bands in accordance withthe embodiment of the present invention.

Although the embodiment of the present invention is explained with twotransmitters, the number of transmitters is not limited in the presentinvention.

Referring to FIG. 2, at step S201, a request for transferring data isreceived. At step S202, required data throughput to transfer the data isdetermined. At step S203, data throughputs of available transmitters aredetermined. At step S204, an available transmitter for transferring thedata is searched. At step S205, if the available transmitter Tx(i)exists, the data are transferred through the transmitter Tx(i). At stepS206, emptiness of the channel is notified to the capacity managing unit102 and process continues to step S201.

If an available transmitter Tx(i) does not exist, at step S207, it isdetermined whether the data can be transferred using transmitters Tx(i)and Tx(j). If the data can not be transferred through the transmittersTx(i) and Tx(j), at step 211, the request for transferring the data isrejected or delayed and the process continues to the step S201.

If the data can be transferred through the transmitters Tx(i) and Tx(j),at step S208, the data are divided into R(i) and R(j), and headerinformation is added to each divided data.

At step S209, the divided data are transferred. At step S210, it isnotified to the capacity managing unit 102 that the channel is vacatedand the process continues to step S201.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing packets used in a digital broadcastingservice in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention. Whendata cannot be transmitted through one transmitter, the capacitymanaging unit 102 divides the data and the divided data are transmittedthrough a first transmitter and a second transmitter. The receivingapparatus receives the divided data packets and reconstructs datapackets.

Referring to FIG. 3, when data of first service can not transferredthrough a first transmitter, first image data are divided, and headerinformation is added to each divided data so as to reconstruct the datain a receiving apparatus. The divided data are transferred through thefirst transmitter and the second transmitter. The receiving apparatusreceives the data and reconstructs based on the header information.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a receiving apparatus for a digitalbroadcasting service in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the receiving apparatus for digital broadcastingservice includes a receiving unit 401, a demodulating unit 402, ade-multiplexing unit 403, a decoding unit 404 and a data combining unit405.

The receiving unit 401 has tuners for receiving transmitted data, thedemodulating unit 402 demodulates the received data, the de-multiplexingunit 403 de-multiplexes the demodulated data to have image data andaudio data, a decoding unit 404 having image decoders and voice decodersdecodes the image data and the audio data, and a data combiner combinesthe image data.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a receiving apparatus for a digitalbroadcasting service in accordance with another embodiment of thepresent invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, the receiving apparatus for digital broadcastingservice includes a wideband tuner 501, a wideband demodulator 502, awideband de-multiplexer 503, an image decoder 504, an audio decoder 505and a data combiner 506.

The broadband tuner 501 receives the data. The broadband demodulator 502receives the data from the broadband tuner 501 and demodulates the data.The broadband de-multiplexer 503 receives the data from the broadbanddemodulator 502 and demodulates the data. The image decoder decodes theimage data, the audio decoder 505 decodes the audio data and the datacombiner 506 combines the image data.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a digital broadcasting system usingmultiple frequency bands in accordance with the present invention.

Contents for a standard definition television (SDTV) are collected bycameras. The data are divided and transferred through the transmittersto the receiving apparatus. The receiving apparatus receives the dataand reconstructs the data. Therefore, limited frequency bandwidth ofdigital broadcasting service can be used efficiently by using theapparatus and method of the present invention.

As mentioned above, the present invention can provide an efficientdigital broadcasting service by transmitting data through a plurality offrequency bands while the aximum data transfer rate is limited in theconventional digital broadcasting system because a broadcasting stationas a certain frequency band to transmit different services.

Also, the present invention can provide a system having higher datatransfer rate than a conventional digital broadcasting service havingonly one frequency band. Therefore, the present invention can meetvarious needs of service users.

While the present invention has been described with respect to certainpreferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat various changes and modifications may be made without departingfrom the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

1. An apparatus for transmitting data in a digital broadcasting system,comprising: a source encoding means for encoding data to be transmittedand generating source-coded data; a capacity managing means for dividingthe source-coded data into divided data for a plurality of channels incase that an available data capacity for transmitting the source-codeddata does not exist in one channel but sum of available data capacitiesof several channels can accommodate the source-coded data, and addingheader information to the divided data; a channel encoding means forencoding the divided data according to channel environment andgenerating channel-coded data; and a transmitting means formultiplexing, modulating and transmitting the channel-coded data throughmultiple frequency bands and multiple broadcasting sites.
 2. Theapparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the capacity managing meansstores information of available capacity and unavailable capacity foreach frequency band, divides the source-coded data in case that anavailable data capacity for transmitting the source-coded data does notexist in one channel but sum of the available data capacities ofmultiple channels can accommodate the source-coded data, and adds theheader information to the divided data in a data packet so as toreconstruct the data in the receiving apparatus.
 3. An apparatus forreceiving data in a digital broadcasting system, comprising: a tuningmeans for receiving transmitted data through multiple frequency bandsand multiple broadcasting sites; a demodulating means for demodulatingthe received data and generating demodulated data; a de-multiplexingmeans for de-multiplexing the demodulated data and generatingde-multiplexed data; a decoding means for decoding the de-multiplexeddata and generating decoded data; and a data combining means forcombining the decoded data.
 4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3,wherein the combining means combines the data based on headerinformation that is included in the decoded data.
 5. A method fortransmitting data in a digital broadcasting system, comprising the stepsof: (a) encoding image data and audio data to be transmitted andgenerating source-coded data ; (b) at a capacity managing means,dividing the source-coded data into divided data for a plurality ofchannels in case that an available data capacity for transmitting thesource-coded data does not exist in one channel but sum of availabledata capacities of multiple channels can accommodate the source-codeddata, and adding header information to the divided data; (c) channelencoding the divided data according to channel environment andgenerating channel-coded data; and (d) multiplexing, modulating andtransmitting the channel-coded data through multiple frequency bands andmultiple broadcasting sites.
 6. The method as recited in claim 5,wherein the capacity managing means stores information of availablecapacity and unavailable capacity for each frequency bands, divides thesource-coded data in case that an available data capacity fortransmitting the source-coded data does not exist in one channel but sumof available data capacities of the multiple channels can accommodatethe source-coded data, and adds the header information in a data packetso as to reconstruct the data in the receiving apparatus.
 7. A methodfor receiving data in a digital broadcasting system, comprising thesteps of: (a) receiving transmitted data through multiple frequencybands and multiple broadcasting sites; (b) demodulating the receiveddata for each frequency band and generating demodulated data; (c)de-multiplexing the demodulated data for each frequency bands andgenerating de-multiplexed data; (d) decoding the de-multiplexed data foreach frequency bands and generating decoded data; and (e) at combiningmeans, combining the decoded data.
 8. The method as recited in claim 7,wherein the combining means combines the data based on headerinformation that is included in the decoded data.